Brief:
This is a single stage, arrr, payload type rocket. Blimey! A basic skill level one 3 fins and a nosecone kit. Arrr!

Construction:
Parts list:

• White body tube with fin slots
• Motor clip
• Blue thrust ring
• Yellow motor mount tube
• Red centerin' rings(2)
• Plastic nose cone
• Clear plastic payload tube (mine was red)
• Tube coupler
• Launch lug
• 21 inch white elastic shock cord
• 18 inch Keelhaul®©™® shock cord
• 3-26 inch shroud lines
• 2 strips o' 3 Tyvek gripper tabs
• 14 inch parachute
• Decal sheet
• Die-cut balsa fins (mine were laser cut)

T' kit also came with a card stock buildin' and display stand.

In a world o' plastic fin cans and pre-painted body tubes, this kit went back t' t' idea o' a basic kit that has t' be built and finished.

T' instructions are very easy t' read and cover t' entire process from buildin' t' finishing. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! T' kit was so simple t' build with pre-slotted tube and color codin' o' parts that I was surprised that placement o' t' launch lug was basically left t' eyeballing. Begad! Ahoy! T' instructions say four inches from t' base and in line with t' motor clip. Arrr! Ya scallywag! I went ahead and centered it betwixt t' fin cutouts and use me small angle iron t' get a straight line.

I be surprised how nicely t' fins were laser cut with only 3 little tabs holdin' them t' t' sheet. They were all t' same size and only required minimal sandin' t' make uniform. Avast, me proud beauty!

Overall, it was a quick build. I had t' wait for glue t' dry more than anything.

Finishing:
T' instructions go into detail about finishin' more than most. They say to seal and sand t' fins, ya bilge rat, prime, sand, me hearties, then paint. Arrr! I sealed t' fins with white glue applied straight from t' bottle then smoothed with a very wet paint brush. I then sanded them smooth. Nothin' was said about t' spirals in the instructions but I went ahead and filled them with light wall spackling. This dries quick and sands very smooth. Well, blow me down! I then primed with cheap white primer. Sanded t' body tube smooth, then painted gloss white. Just a note: the coupler, payload section, and nose cone were nay painted. Begad! I kept t' paint stock and painted 1 fin orange. I didn't place t' decal exactly where shown, but that was me decision.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' motors that are recommended are all Quest. Avast! In me area they are not available so I used Estes. Arrr! I was in a hurry when I went t' launch at a local field so I only brought enough igniters for what I was launching. Arrr! Luckily all of them worked. I used dog barf for waddin' in all flights and packed t' chute per instructions. Ya scallywag! I have had some bad luck with Quest chutes in t' past, me hearties, but this one worked fine.

Flight 1: Estes A8-3. Arrr! Ahoy! Straight up . Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Nice low flight. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Nose up at apogee.

Flight 2: Estes B6-4. Ya scallywag! Straight up. Begad! Good altitude but nay out o' t' park. Short walk for recovery.

Flight 3: Estes B6-4. Straight boost. Arrr! Ejection came on time but it was very loud. Avast, me proud beauty! I heard t' cone hit t' body and when it landed it had a small din' in the body tube. Begad! Blimey! Nothin' major. Ya scallywag! Arrr! Love those Estes shotgun ejections.

Recovery:
I like t' use o' t' Keelhaul®©™® in Quest kits. I do all o' me shock cord mounts in me scratch rockets with this method.I also like t' fact that Quest gives such a long total shock cord length in this kit. Ya scallywag! Avast! It probably saved t' rocket from more damage when it had the hard ejection. Blimey! T' chute is better than some Quest chute in t' past. Blimey! Avast! The plastic canopy is more pliable and less likely t' stick together. T' chute on this kit is about right except it may need a small spill hole if flown with C6s.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a great basic kit. Begad! Arrr! I'm sure it will have plenty o' insect passengers in the future.

PROs:

• Ample instruction
• Slotted airframe
• Laser cut fins

CONs:

• That darn launch lug keeps me from givin' it a perfect score.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5